Meditation: Before and After

photos via Mind Body Green

Remember when I was wondering if meditation "did anything"???  These photos by Peter Seidler sure make a case for "yes."  In this article on Mind Body Green, Seidler talks about his photo project Contemplatives, "a visual exploration of the physiological qualities of meditation practice."  For the project, the subjects had their pictures taken before and after a month long meditation retreat.  Before each photo they were asked to consider what they were looking for from their practice.  They sure do look glow-y and zen in the afters.  What do you think???  

-♥ J :)

P.S. You can check out the whole article HERE.

Getting some zzzZZen

photo via Insadco Photography/Alamy

Until last night, meditation had only ever put me to sleep.  Not the "Oh, how quaint I dozed off for a few minutes" kind of sleep, but rather the "I passed out and missed half the afternoon" kind of sleep.  Having dutifully tried and repeatedly failed, I had pretty much decided that meditation was not for me.  That is until last night.  Last night I watched Oprah's one hour special about a community in Iowa and its leading role in the Transcendental Meditation movement.  It was while watching this program that I felt the most unexpected and profound shift in consciousness.  It was a shift that could only be described as…incomprehensible rage.

"This is so stupid!!" I heckled.  "How could that work!!   We're really supposed to believe that just SITTING THERE and doing nothing changes your life.  That doesn't make any sense.  Why would that work???"  John wasn't taking the bait.  By now, he has learned that when the Crazy Train leaves the station you don't jump in front of it.  You let the wack-a-doo in the living room rant and rave until she tires herself out.  But last night, I wasn't tired...